A first responder rests his head against a horse at sunset
Equine-Assisted Recovery · Ottawa, ON

Real connection.
Healing.
Support.

Equine-assisted therapy built by first responders, for first responders and veterans. Structured for real recovery.

Nature-Based Resilience•Confidential Support•Professional Mental Health•Connection & Growth•Operational Resilience• Nature-Based Resilience•Confidential Support•Professional Mental Health•Connection & Growth•Operational Resilience•
Who we serve

For the people who answer the call — and carry it home.

01

Firefighters

Structure fire, rescue, and the cumulative load that doesn't clear at end of shift.

02

Paramedics & Dispatch

The calls that stay with you — and the ones you only heard over the radio.

03

Police & OPP

Operational stress carried home, shift after shift, for years.

04

Military & Veterans

Service-related trauma and the long work of reintegration.

05

Correctional Services

Sustained vigilance in high-tension environments most never see.

06

Families

Because recovery holds when the people around you heal too.

The outcome

What participants report.

01

Reduced hypervigilance

02

Improved sleep patterns

03

Increased emotional regulation

04

Greater clarity in decision-making

05

Reduced isolation

06

Confidence during reintegration

Pre/post symptom tracking tools are used in structured cohort models.

Begin your reset

Begin your
reset.

Operational inquiries and clinical referrals are handled with strict confidentiality. We support firefighters, paramedics, police, dispatch, and veterans navigating operational stress injuries — in a secure, trauma-informed environment focused on individual recovery and family resilience.

Confidential · Trauma-Informed By Referral · Direct Booking Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Get in touch

Location
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
A horse at a paddock fence in evening light
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A horse standing at a wooden paddock fence
The Process

Your client journey.

From first confidential contact to follow-up, the program is structured, peer-led, and trauma-informed — with the horse as a mirror for regulation and resilience.

How it works

Three steps, structured around your recovery.

01

Initial Contact & Screening

Your journey begins with a confidential inquiry. We conduct a trauma-informed screening to ensure the group environment is safe and appropriate for your current needs and recovery goals.

02

Weekly Group Sessions

The 8-week program runs as structured, weekly equine-assisted sessions with a peer cohort — focused on emotional regulation, nervous system reset, and ground-based partnership with horses.

03

Follow-Up & Support

Healing extends beyond the program. We provide structured follow-up check-ins and connect participants to resources for ongoing resilience and community integration.

Program details

Trauma recovery, built three ways.

8-Week Recovery Cohort

A structured small-group program (4–8 participants) integrating psychoeducation, nervous system regulation, equine-assisted experiential work, clinical processing, and integration exercises.

  • —Initial individual intake
  • —2-hour weekly sessions
  • —Small cohort model
  • —Facilitated by clinician + equine specialist

Individual Sessions

One-on-one equine-assisted sessions tailored to specific recovery goals.

  • —PTSD & operational stress injuries
  • —Anxiety & burnout
  • —Transition support

Intensive Programs

Custom intensive recovery experiences for groups and teams.

  • —Departments & teams
  • —Veteran groups
  • —Leadership wellness initiatives
  • —Spouses & families of first responders / veterans
Begin your reset

Confidential. Structured.
Built for the work.

Book a Session
A first responder with a horse at sunset
Our Team

Built by first responders. Structured for real recovery.

At Operational Reset Equine, we understand that trauma isn't just a story — it's a physiological state. Our team provides specialized, trauma-informed equine-assisted recovery for first responders and veterans, focused on nervous system regulation and resilience built through clear, experiential programming.

Our approach

Meeting you where you are.

Our team supports first responders and veterans through specialized equine-assisted trauma recovery. We provide a professional, peer-led environment where the horse acts as a mirror for regulation and resilience — fostering sustainable growth in a confidential setting.

Together. Stronger. For our community — Ottawa's first responders
Lisa-Marie Loeffen standing with a horse
Lead Clinician

Lisa-Marie Loeffen

Lead Clinician & Equine-Assisted Trauma Recovery Specialist

With over 25 years of experience supporting individuals and families across the lifespan, Lisa-Marie specializes in trauma, PTSD, operational stress injuries, and complex mental health challenges. Her background spans mental health, child welfare, rehabilitation, education, and community-based care — a grounded, practical, and holistic approach to recovery.

As a certified Equine-Assisted Therapy practitioner and owner of an equine-facilitated therapy practice, she integrates trauma-informed psychotherapy with experiential, ground-based work to support nervous system regulation, emotional awareness, and meaningful behavioural change. Her clinical work draws on trauma-informed, solution-focused, mindfulness-based, and strengths-oriented practices within a collaborative, person-centred, anti-oppressive space where clients engage in recovery at their own pace.

Registered member of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, with certifications in Coaching and Leadership Development. Services available in English and French.
Begin your reset

Confidential. Structured.
Built for the work.

Book a Session